Tourism Reboot: Hawaii Tourism Authority | NEXT Travel Stream

Hawaii has a new head of Tourism and he’s looking to make some changes. John De Fries, born and raised in Waikiki, was appointed President of the Hawaii Tourism Authority in 2020 during the coronavirus shutdowns. The lack of tourism revenue had the state’s economy reeling. In 2019 Hawaii welcomed over 10 million visitors, a remarkable number considering the state has a population of only 1.5 million. But another interesting thing happened during the pandemic. Locals, who were disgruntled with the crush of tourists, saw much less traffic, less crowded beaches, and reduced prices. As De Fries states, the experience “was somewhat euphoric. It felt like we got our islands back.” Hawaii tourism is back in the hands of local islanders, rather than mainlanders with hospitality degrees. And they’re turning their focus away from marketing to focus on sustainable destination management. Rather than focusing on pineapples, luaus, and grass skirts the tourism industry is moving toward more genuine cultural education and preservation.

Luaus are becoming opportunities to also teach about the Polynesian migration to Hawaii. And music is changing from the traditional ukulele to more modern Hawaiian music. This past year, Hawaiian airlines started airing a short video reminding visitors to use reef-safe sunscreen, honor local culture, and keep a distance from endangered animals. Residents of Oahu want to establish a new regenerative tourism fee that would apply to all arriving tourists and support environmental preservation efforts. It’s a different Hawaii, but one that’s necessary to preserve the island’s unique wonder and heritage while still enabling millions of visitors each year. Hawaii’s tourism authority recently launched a new campaign focused on Malama, or caring for the land. Everyone knows “Aloha” the Hawaiian word for love, affection, and peace that has deep cultural meaning to native Hawaiians. Malama, is its sister value, meaning to take care of, preserve, and protect. Protecting Hawaii’s natural beauty and culture is something we can all appreciate.

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